Child Labour in the Global Economy Dissertation

Child Labour in the Global Economy - Dissertation Example Children had been historically involved in a variety of jobs ranging from agricultural and farming to industrial and manufacturing jobs. But, this conventional idea employing children in the aforementioned fields is rapidly changing as most often it is their parents who force their offspring into laborious activities. A survey conducted by ILO across 36 less developed economies reported a fraction of the 25 percent children employed in economically active jobs to be working for others. In addition, most of them work without pay with dominance of such form of exploitation more prevalent in urban than in rural areas. UNICEF reported this figure at 4.2 percent in case of rural regions and 5.2 percent for urban areas, for LDCs. Furthermore, out of the few children who work for others, nearly 6 percent do not earn any wage; such situation normally arises in cases when parents hold their children as collaterals while accepting loans and default payments on the same owing to poverty (Edmond s & Pavcnik, 2005, p. 202). Figure 1 alongside summarises the outcome of a survey conducted by ILO in 2006 to comprehend the change in occurrence of child labour across the world through 2000-2004. It shows the highest concentration of child labour in Sub-Saharan Africa followed by Asia-Pacific areas. Child labour is found to have dropped drastically in Latin America and Caribbean with a reduction of more than 10 percent of the total child population over the region. On the whole, the scenario has improved for child labour throughout the world within a span of four years.... But, this conventional idea employing children in the aforementioned fields is rapidly changing as most often it is their parents who force their offspring into laborious activities. A survey conducted by ILO across 36 less developed economies reported a fraction of the 25 percent children employed in economically active jobs to be working for others. In addition, most of them work without pay with dominance of such form of exploitation more prevalent in urban than in rural areas. UNICEF reported this figure at 4.2 percent in case of rural regions and 5.2 percent for urban areas, for LDCs. Furthermore, out of the few children who work for others, nearly 6 percent do not earn any wage; such situation normally arises in cases when parents hold their children as collaterals while accepting loans and default payments on the same owing to poverty (Edmonds & Pavcnik, 2005, p. 202). Figure 1 alongside summarises the outcome of a survey conducted by ILO in 2006 to comprehend the change in oc currence of child labour across the world through 2000-2004. It shows the highest concentration of child labour in Sub-Saharan Africa followed by Asia-Pacific areas. Child labour is found to have dropped drastically in Latin America and Caribbean with a reduction of more than 10 percent of the total child population over the region. On the whole, the scenario has improved for child labour throughout the world within a span of four years. This fact has an obvious implication that the world is indeed developing at a fast pace and in a homogeneous pattern. Figure 2 on the other hand, emphasises upon the kinds of jobs that children between 5 and 14 years of age, are employed in. It shows a majority of them to be employed in agricultural and farming